During our month long stay in Belfast, Northern Ireland, we had the opportunity to experience many of the city’s attractions. While those that are mentioned in this posting may not have justified a full blog piece on their own, we felt compelled to give them their due respect in this compilation.

FALLS ROAD & THE GARDEN OF REMEMBERNCE - Originally just a Country lane, Falls Road is the main thoroughfare through West Belfast and is synonymous with the Republican (i.e. Irish Catholic) community. It’s neighboring street, Shankill Road, represents the Loyalist (i.e. British Protestant) community. In the Irish language, Falls Road means “Territory of the Enclosures.” Situated along Falls Road (referred to by locals as simply “The Falls”) is the” Garden of Rememberance” dedicated to the Irish Republican Volunteers and civilians who lost their lives from the Easter Rising of 1916 and during the 1969 to 1998 Belfast Conflict (aka “The Troubles”). This garden was built in 2001 by the Falls Cultural Society.

This little garden along Belfast’s Falls Road is dedicated to the Irish Catholics who died during the 1916 Easter Rising and the thirty years long “Belfast Conflict.” (There is a similar Remembrance Garden in the Protestant sector of the city, but we did not find it).

Constructed in 2001 under the auspices of the Falls Cultural Society, it seems a lot of effort went into making it look nice.

VICTORIA SQUARE DOME - Located within the Victoria Square shopping mall (the largest such venue in the city) is the 115 foot diameter, glass enclosed dome. Made up of 364 individual rectangular panes of four-times glazed glass, this iconic structure offers a 360 degree view of Belfast.

While Victoria Square is the largest shopping center in Belfast...

...it’s main attraction seems to be the iconic glass dome.

For the robust, you can walk up all those stairs to the viewing platform, or, for the more sane folks, you take the elevator.

From the top, there is a wonderful 360 degrees view of the city.

Here, you can see the titanic Quarter with the Harland & Wolff shipyards’ massive cranes, Samson and Goliath.

EUROPA HOTEL - Opened in 1971 on the former site of the Great Northern Railway Station, this 270 room hotel has hosted Prime ministers, Presidents, and celebrities. During the Belfast Conflicts known as “The Troubles”, this is where most of the world’s journalists stayed and it became known as “... the most bombed hotel in Europe (36 times)” , earning the nickname as “The Hardboard Hotel.” The Europa has been featured in two documentaries, “Lobby Lives” and “The Europa Hotel - Bombs, Bullets, and Business as Usual.” It was also featured in episode 11 of season three of “Sons of Anarchy.”

Located next to Belfast’s Opera House and across the street from the famous Crown Pub, the Europa Hotel was once considered “...the most bombed hotel in Europe” during the Belfast Conflicts.

This is what it looked like after one of the explosions.

Today, it is a luxurious place to stay and a top tourist attraction in the city.

OPERA HOUSE - Considered the best example of oriental-style architecture in the United Kingdom, Belfast’s Opera House opened, next to the Europa Hotel, in December of 1895. Nine years later, it was temporarily renamed the “ Palace of Varieties,” only to revert back to its original title in 1909. During the 1920’s and 1930’s, it played host to variety performances, while throughout World War II it was a repertory theater. From 1961 until 1972, the building functioned as a cinema, returning to its original function as a place for opera in 1980.

The 124 year old Opera House, with a seating capacity of 1063, is the “Grand Dame” of Belfast.

Over the years, it has hosted variety performances, a repertory theater, and a cinema, as well as a place for fine opera.

A view of the stage from one of the upper balconies.

It was not immune from the violence during the three decade long “Belfast Conflicts.” This was the result of a 1993 bombing at the Opera House.

BIG FISH - Perhaps the most unusual attraction in Belfast is the painted ceramic mosaic sculpture, aptly known as “The Big Fish” next to the River Lagan. This thirty-three foot long piece was created by John Kindness in 1999 and placed along the water’s edge opposite Belfast’s Custom House. Its ceramic tiles depict the history of the city, from the time of the Tudors, up to the present day. The city Council commissioned the work to celebrate the regeneration of the Lagan river and chose to place it at the confluence of the Lagan and Farset rivers.

Based on a character from the tale “The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn,” Belfast’s Big Fish is covered in ceramic tiles containing text and images of the city’s history. While the Ulster Museum provided much of the historical images , there are also contributions from Belfast’s school children. It is reported that the Big Fish contains a time capsule with “...information, images, and poetry on the city.”

Tucked away on the ground floor of the historic Belfast Corn Exchange building (built in 1852) in the city’s Cathedral Quarter, is the Ulster-Scots Center. Since many of the folks we met throughout the city did not consider themselves Irish, but rather Ukster-Scots, we decided to explore this Center to learn more about their heritage. Scotland is only thirteen miles away across the waters, so there are strong connections between Ulster and Scotland.
The exhibitions in the Center cover those connections, starting with the arrival of Edward Bruce in 1315 to the present day. A timeline room depicts many of the events that link Ulster to Scotland and the rest of the world. There is a free genealogy research point available to help those of Ulster-Scot ancestry trace their roots. In addition, there is an exhibit depicting American Presidents with Ulster-Scots heritage ( 17 in total, including Andrew Jackson, Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, James Carter, and George Bush).
Visiting the Ulster-Scots Center provided us with a whole new perspective on the history of Northern Ireland. We were glad to have learned about it, as well as making the decision to see it.

Built in 1852, Belfast’s Historic Corn Exchange Building originally contained four ground floor commercial units and a large exchange room on the upper floor.

Today, the Ulster-Scots Center is the building’s main attraction.

Here, we discovered the strong connections between Ulster, Northern Ireland and Scotland...

...starting with the arrival of Edward Bruce in 1315 until the present day.

Among the exhibitions in the Center is the connections between the Ulster-Scots and the rest of the world...

...including the United States.

Seventeen U.S. Presidents have had Ulster-Scots in their ancestry, beginning with Andrew Jackson.

There are many famous Americans , in a variety of different fields, who have Scots-Irish in their ancestry. Below is a partial compilation from the world of entertainment who make this claim;

Dolly Parton

Johnny Cash

Angelica Houston

Michael Douglas

Loretta Lynn

Brad Pitt

Alec Baldwin

Karen Allen

We love museums! (I know. I have repeated this sentiment a number of times in previous posts - but it is still true). One of our favorite museums in Belfast is located along one edge of the Botanic Gardens; the Ulster Museum. With 2624 square feet of display space, this is the largest museum in Northern Ireland. While founded in 1821 as the Belfast Natural Historic Society, it’s public exhibitions did not begin until 1831. During those early days, it was officially known as the “Belfast Municipal Museum and Art Gallery” ( because an art collection had been added a little bit after its public opening).
By 1929, the museum had moved to its current location in a purpose-constructed building, and its collections represented the history of Northern Ireland, covering such topics as natural history, Irish archeology, zoology, fashion/textiles, etc. Since the 1940’s, the museum has increased its art collections, with a focus on modern Irish artists, especially those that were Ulster based. In 1962, it was officially renamed “ The Ulster Museum” and was recognized as the National Museum of Northern Ireland.
With the “Game of Thrones” series being so popular, and so much of it having been filmed in Belfast and other locations in Northern Ireland, it seemed only fitting that the museum pay some homage to its popularity. Commissioned by Tourism Ireland and HBO, A 285 foot long tapestry was created, depicting scenes from the show. This remarkable piece of linen (Belfast, at one time, was the linen capital of the world) was designed by hand, weaved by state-of-the-art machinery, and hand finished by a cadre of 30 stitchers. The tapestry brings to life the Game of Thrones series from Winterfell to the Iron Islands.
​ Perhaps, one of the best features of this museum, at least for us, is that it is free admission.

With over 2400 square feet of display space, this is considered to be the National Museum of Northern Ireland.

Located along the edge of Belfast’s Botanical Gardens, the area surrounding the museum is truly serene and beautiful.

Like many other museums we’ve visited, there are skeletons of long lost dinosaurs....

...and Egyptian mummies (it is amazing to us that there are any ancient artifacts left in Egypt)..

Geologic features, such as this 380 million year old piece of Cushendum Conglomerate pebble bed, are also on display.

The Chambers Car Company was the first manufacturer of motor vehicles in Ireland. This small company built a limited number of vehicles between 1909 and the late 1920’s.

The Ulster Museum’s art collection is as good as any we’ve seen in purpose-built art galleries. James Dixon Innes created this landscape, entitled “Olives at Collioure”, circa 1900.

Known as “Allegory of Fortune”, this was done by Lorenzo Lippi (1606 to 1665).

A bit of whimsy is exhibited by this display of mythological dragons.

Perhaps the most interesting exhibition is the 285 foot long Game of Thrones Tapestry

This remarkable piece of linen depicts scenes from the whole series....

...from Winterfell to the Iron Islands.

One of the 30 stitchers who hand finished the tapestry is depicted in this publicity photo. According to reports, it took 16 weeks to create this Game of Thrones piece of linen.

Ever since the start of our travels, we’ve found exploring the various religious buildings (regardless of denomination) of the city provided us with a unique perspective of the history of each specific area. Having already posted about Belfast’s St. Anne’s Cathedral, we will focus this blog piece on some of the other religious institutions we visited.

SAINT PATRICK’S CHURCH - Located just a short distance from the aforementioned St. Anne’s Cathedral, St. Patrick’s Church was first opened in 1815. Dedicated to Ireland’s patron saint, today’s current structure was constructed around the original church (which was then demolished). When the new building opened in August of 1877, it could accommodate 2000 worshipers. Even though this was a Roman Catholic Church, St. Patrick’s splendor was chosen for the consecration of Episcopal Bishops Henry Henry (1895) and John Tohill (1908), along with the Roman Catholic Bishop Daniel Magellan (1929). One of the main features of the church is the seven foot tall statue of St. Patrick over the door. During the church’s bicentennial celebration ( May 2015), the U.K.’s Prince of Wales and his wife, the Countess of Cornwall, visited St. Patrick’s.

The original St. Patrick’s Church was built here in 1815, while this current building was constructed around the old church in 1877.

By some accounts, one of the most notable features of this church is the 7 foot tall statue of Ireland’s patron saint over the front door.

We were mesmerized by the elegance of the main altar area.

SAINT PETER’S CATHEDRAL - Until the Reformation (mid-1500’s), the Roman Catholic diocese was situated in the town of DownPatrick (approximately 21 miles south of Belfast). St. Peter’s Church was originally conceived as a parish church for the post-famine Catholic community of Belfast. The land on which the church was built was purchased by flour merchant Bernard Hughes, who then donated it for the construction of the church. St. Peter’s was officially opened in October of 1866. Its twin towers were added 20 years later. In 1986, it was officially designated as the Catholic diocese Cathedral of Belfast.

One hundred twenty years after St. Peter’s was consecrated, it became the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the diocese of Belfast.

What an elegant interior! We loved it.

Even the side paneling above the arches was striking...

...as was the beautiful rose window behind the organ.

SAINT MARY’S CHURCH - Considered to be the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Belfast, as well as the Mother Church of the city, St. Mary’s was opened in 1784. At that time, there were only 365 Roman Catholics in the city ( according to census records). In an unusual example of cross cultural cooperation, construction of St. Mary’s was funded by a coalition of the small Catholic community with that of the Church of Ireland (Protestant) and that of the Presbyterian community. While the first mass was held on May 30th, 1784, it soon became too small for the growing Roman Catholic population of Belfast; so the Church was enlarged in 1869. Today, St. Mary’s is served by a cadre of retired clergy. One of its most popular features is the Our Lady of Lourdes grotto beside the building.

Constructed in 1784 and enlarged in 1869, St. Mary’s is the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Belfast. After the Mill Hill Fathers, who had ministered the Church, left in 2019, a cadre of retired clergy now serve that function.

Following the 1869 enlargement, none of the original church could be seen in the interior of St. Mary’s.

When the Our Lady of Lourdes grotto was added in 1954, it quickly became one of the most popular features of the property.

To our generation, when someone mentioned “The Troubles,” we immediately knew what they meant, because it was part of our everyday knowledge base ( but not, so much, for the generations after us). “The Troubles” was the three-decade long conflict between the Nationalists (self-identified as Irish Roman Catholics) and the Unionists ( self-identified as British Protestants) in Northern Ireland. After 1969, this dispute (also known as the Northern Ireland Conflict by some) turned increasingly violent and did not end until the “Good Friday Peace Agreement” in 1998.
The dispute’s key issue was “...the constitutional status of Northern Ireland”; the Unionists (or Loyalists) - who were Protestant - wanted Northern Ireland to remain within the United Kingdom; the Irish Nationalists ( or Republicans) - who were Catholic - wanted Northern Ireland to leave the U.K. and join a United Ireland. As the violence escalated, “Peace Walls” were built to keep the two causes apart.
Beginning in 1994, four years of secret talks between leaders of both sides took place behind closed doors at the Clonard Monastery in Belfast. By Good Friday, April 10, 1998, the Belfast Agreement was signed, creating an uneasy end to the overt violence.
However, even to this day, hostile feelings between the two groups lie just under the surface. While we did not personally witness any overt violence, we did hear from a number of sources that, upon occasion, groups of youths from both sides would throw stones at each other. As amateur history buffs, we wanted to explore as much of the area relating to “ The Troubles” as we could. We present some of what we experienced in the following photos:

Each group continues to exude pride in their affiliated beliefs. This neighborhood (along with many others) had the Union Jack of the U.K. displayed everywhere to signify that they were Loyalists/Unionists and Protestant. It seemed to us that they were pushing their affiliation with the U.K. into the face of the Irish Nationalists.

Even in front of Belfast’s City Hall, we found evidence of these strong feelings. The Loyalists (i.e. Protestants) were constantly reminding the Nationalists (i.e. Catholics) of wanting to remain part of Britain and not wanting to unite with the Republic of Ireland. The Loyalists never refer to themselves as Irish. Instead, they call themselves “Ulster Scots” (there is even a museum devoted to the history of the Ulster Scots in Belfast, which we visited)...

...and while we were looking at this demonstration, we overheard people vehemently complaining to police that this was not a proper location for such expressions. The police listened politely but took no action other than to make sure violence did not occur.

Many of the buildings were also decorated with murals depicting their sectarian beliefs.

The Irish Republican political Party, Sinn Fein is still actiive, with offices throughout Catholic areas of Belfast (this office was around the corner from the Bobby Sands mural pictured further down the blog).

During the heights of “The Troubles,” so-called “Peace Walls” were erected with heavy metal gates so as to keep the two sides separated.

Walls on both sides of the gates were highly decorated ( this was on the Catholic side of the gates)...

...with obvious sectarian themes (this was on the Protestant side of the gates).

One of the more famous leaders during “The Troubles” was Bobby Sands, a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (also known as Nationalists/Catholics), who died in 1981 during a hunger strike while confined in HMS Prison Maze.

Beginning in 1994, secret talks between leaders of both sides of the conflict were held here in the Clonnard Monastery.

We had the distinct honor of having Kevin (an amateur historian) provide us with a private tour of the room in which the talks occurred.

Officially known as “HM Prison Crumlin Road” (but more colloquially by locals as “The Crum”), this is the only Victorian era prison remaining in Northern Ireland, It was considered one of the most advanced prisons of its day. Designed with four wings running off of a central area (known as “The Circle”), with an original capacity of 500 to 550 inmates, this was the first prison in Northern Ireland built according to “The Separate System” - meaning prisoners were separated from each other in individual cells with no communication between them. In 1846, the first inmates arrived, many of whom (including children) were jailed for offenses such as stealing clothing or food. By the 1970’s, The Crum would have been considered overcrowded as there were as many as three prisoners in each cell.
In its original design, The Crum did not provide for an interior gallows, so executions took place in public view. By 1901, an execution chamber had been constructed within the walls, with cells where the condemned lived along with two guards. A total of 17 executions took place at The Crum, with the last one being in 1961.
Over the years, The Crum had a number of notable inmates, the most famous of whom was Bobby Sands of “The Troubles” fame. Despite The Crum being known as “Europe’s Alcatraz,” several successful escapes occurred, the first one in 1866.
The prison, which sits across the street from the now derelict Crumlin Road Courthouse, closed in 1996 and remained empty for several years. Following restoration efforts, it reopened in 2012 as a tourist attraction.

Built in 1843-1845, The Crum Gaol is officially designated as “The HM Prison Crumlin Road.”

This central area is known as “The Circle” and has four separate wings running off of it.

In its original design, inmates were housed in single occupancy cells...

...but as time went by, the prison became more crowded and inmates were doubled up (even tripled-up) in the cells.

Two nefarious looking prisoners being processed for incarceration.

Typically, each new inmate had to meet with the warden, who explained the rules of the prison.

Across the street from the prison was the Crumlin Road Courthouse (now derelict), where prisoner cases were heard.

This tunnel ran under the street from the prison to the courthouse, so prisoners could be safely transported back and forth.

Seventeen executions occurred at the prison in its 120+ years, but this chamber within the walls was not constructed until 1901 (previous executions happened out in public view).

During private times, inmates developed their own hobbies (such as painting) and some were quite talented.

Healthcare for inmates was provided, but it was minimal...

...especially for children and women.

In our previous posting, we made reference to the Black Horse Pub. Well...technically it is not a pub because alcohol is not served here. So, in reality, it is more properly a coffee house, filled with antiques, stained glass lanterns, and dark wood paneling. Located along a cobbled alleyway known as Hill Street, in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, the Dark Horse sits opposite its sister establishment, The Duke of York.
Since a lot of the interior scenes from The Game of Thrones series were filmed at the nearby Harland and Wolff shipyard, several of the cast and crew were known to have hung out at the Dark Horse between shooting schedules. That is why this coffee house was chosen to play host to the tenth, and last, of the Game of Thrones doors.
The area around the Dark Horse was once home to an old iron foundry and whiskey merchant buildings. In its heyday, the Cathedral Quarter was the center of Belfast’s trade and warehouse district and still contains some of the city’s oldest buildings (most relating to the shipbuilding and linen industries that made the city famous). Falling into decline during the last century, the area is now re-emerging as a cultural district because of the growth of arts and crafts organizations which have located here. Just a couple of blocks from the Dark Horse, Belfast’s Custom House, which sits on the edge of the Cathedral Quarter, was once a popular site for public speakers to promote their causes.
When we found the Dark Horse and began to explore its environs, we were treated very well by staff members, Kevin and Lindsey. They not only showed us the Game of Thrones door that is a centerpiece of their establishment, but also took time to show us the exquisitely painted back patio. Thank you both for your pleasant hospitality.
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Tucked down the cobbled Hill Street alleyway is Belfast’s Dark Horse.

It’s beautiful dark paneled interior is pleasantly welcoming.

While quite popular with the locals as a coffee house, many tourists come here to see the Game of Thrones door.

But out in the back patio, there is a hidden gem - the intricate murals here depict a history of Belfast’s past and present.

The intricacies of the paintings are impressive...and according to the staff we talked with, the paintings are periodically changed.

We are not sure what the purpose of the umbrellas were , but they did add an interesting touch.

Lorraine standing with Kevin, from the Dark Horse, out in the back patio .

Our tour of the Game of Thrones film locations continues with the DARK HEDGES. This picturesque tunnel of 150 Beech trees is located on the 1775 Gracehill estate. It was used for all of thirty-five seconds in the Game of Thrones as part of the King’s Road, but has remained as one of the series most iconic images. In 2016, Storm Gertrude blew through here , damaging or destroying a number of these beautiful trees. Rather than turning the fallen trees into so much firewood, they were given to local artisans who created ten intricately carved wooden doors, each displaying a scene from the series. These doors were then gifted to local landmarks along the various filming locations. We were able to see three of them:

The Dark Hedges today...

...and how they looked in the movie.

FULLERTON ARMS HOTEL:

Located in Ballintoy Harbor (part of the North Antrim Coast), not far from the Giant’s Causeway and the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, this door depicts the House of Targeryen’s Drogan gripping Dothraki stallions in his claws. Situated within a main dining room, complete with banners from the series, as well as a replica of the “Iron Throne.” Visitors are encouraged to have their pictures taken with the throne (including costume parts, for an extra fee of course).

In the same dining room as the door is a replica of the “Iron Throne.”

GRACEHILL HOUSE:

Located within the Gracehill Golf Course restaurant, just a five minute walk from the Dark Hedges, this door (the 7th one carved) depicts the Three-eyed Raven with several Sigills and the Stark Family Crest. The base of the door pays homage to the Dark Hedges with a carved Beech leaf set within a crown.

​THE DARK HORSE:

Situated down a side alley in the heart of Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter is the European style coffee house known as the Dark Horse. The tenth , and last door to be carved is hung within the main room and presents a broad overview of “Westeros” at the end of season six.

The Game of Thrones door was not the only attraction we saw at the Dark Horse. Kevin, the manager of the bar, took out to a side patio that was exquisitely decorated with murals depicting the history of Belfast (such as this behind Lorraine and Kevin showing part of the Titanic’s story). This was a fun place indeed. Kevin and Lindsey (The Gallery Director) could not have been any more pleasant.

As the final season of Game of Thrones began, a series of large stained glass windows were created in tribute to the film. These were placed around Belfast in such a way as to form a “Game of Thrones Trail.” Each window was hand designed by an illustrator, and painted by an artist, to depict a main house or family from the series. The following set of photos show the six windows with a description of where they were located:

First in the series of windows to be created was located opposite Belfast’s City Hall...

...and pays tribute to the Starks of Winterfell.

Dedicated to the House of Lannister, this window is in front of the ICC building.

​The last four windows are in the Titanic Quarter, surrounding the museum.

Melisandre and the House of Baratheon on Lagen Weir.

The House of Targaryen by the Odyssey complex.

Located next to the SS Nomadic, by the Titanic Museum, this window depicts the Night King and the White Walkers.

The final window pays tribute to the “Irone Throne”, complete with a place for visitors to sit for a photo op, and is located by the Titanic slipway.

We were not all that familiar with the Game of Thrones series when we started this tour (we had heard of it but had never seen any episodes). By the end of this tour, however, we did find this experience quite delightful and informative.

Somewhat based on George R.R. Martin’s fantasy novels - “A Song of Ice and Fire” - the Game of Thrones became a popular medieval fantasy drama. Primarily filmed in Belfast and the United Kingdom, it depicts two powerful families feuding over control of the “Seven Kingdoms of Westeros,” at the top of which is the “Iron Throne.” Running for eight seasons (2011 to 2019 - with the last episode airing on May 19,2019), it quickly became a fantasy cult classic.
​ Because much of the series’ interior scenes were filmed in the massive Paint Hall of the former Harland &Wolffe shipyard (where Titanic was built) and many of the exterior locations were shot throughout Northern Ireland, several Belfast companies offer tours of the various filming locations. One of the most popular tours, and the one we chose to take, was offered by “Irish Tours.” The advantage for us choosing this company was that our tour guide, Andrew Thompson, had been an extra throughout much of the series , beginning in season four. He added many interesting back stories about the series.

Our tour guide, Andrew Thompson, had been a series regular, as an extra, for four seasons.

His background stories were quite interesting, and always informative.

Our all day tour included the history of the series, it’s mythology, religion, and politics surrounding the two main families. While traveling along the Antrim Coast Road, we made several stops at actual locations used for filming the series:
CARNLOUGH - this quaint fishing village along the coastal road beside the North Channel was featured in season six, episode seven (“The Broken Man”). It was used to depict the fictional village of Braavos. The character Arya Stark was stabbed by the canal . She jumped into the water to escape her attacker and then crawled up the steps into the streets of Braavos..

In its own right, the fishing village of Carnlough is quaint enough to draw tourists.

These steps is where Arya Stark crawls out of the water after being stabbed.

Publicity still (and not a very good one, probably because it was reproduced so many times) of Arya Stark after having been stabbed.

CUSHENDUN CAVES - just a short distance from the village of Carnlough are the Cushendun Caves. Extreme weather conditions over 400 million years ago were said to have formed these caves. In more modern times, the caves became the backdrop for the “Stormlands” and where Melisandre gave birth to the Shadow Baby.

It was a good thing we had a guide , as these caves were a bit out of the way and somewhat hard to find.

Once there, however, they were amazing...

...and we could easily see why they were chosen as a filming location.

A couple of film extras, before being made up and costumed?

CARRICK-A-REDE ROPE BRIDGE - ( we had blogged about this site in a previous posting) - the lower parking lot for the rope bridge was used as the setting for Renly’s War Camp in the Storm lands.

This doesn’t look much like a War Camp now!

LARRYBANE QUARRY - About a quarter-mile from the rope bridge is a limestone quarry known as Larrybane. In the Game of Thrones, this site was used to depict Brienne of Tarth’s success over Ser Loras Tyrell.

This limestone quarry reminded us a little bit of the White Cliffs of Dover.

A publicity still indicating how Larrybane Quarry appeared during filming.

NOTE: After seeing the above two film locations, we were so close to the Giant’s Causeway (about which we previously posted) that we had to stop to visit it. While it was not part of the Game of Thrones filming locations, it was an important enough sight for us to stop and see it.

DUNLUCE CASTLE- Originally built in the 13th century, the castle was the seat of the McDonnell Clan until the 16th century, when it began to fall into disrepair. In The Game of Thrones, the ruined castle provided the setting for the Pyke stronghold House of Greyjoy.

Ruins of the Dunluce Castle as it appears today...

...and with a little bit of digital magic, how it appeared in the Game of Thrones as the House of Greyjoy.

NOTE: There is a bit more to the Game of Thrones tour that will be posted in Part II.